Everything & Anything About Transatlantic.....

[rkacruiser]

23 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

The CD asked guests to give impromptu lectures and one guy talked about the military in a small lounge, if I recall

 

2008 on the Amsterdam, we had paid lecturers, some were good and some surely were not!  Our CD also requested impromptu lectures in an area of the guest's specialty.  A table mate of mine was a recently retired physician whose specialty was in an newly developing biotech area.  He volunteered.  On the afternoon of his presentation, the Lounge was overflowing with guests and the doctor required some tech support, i.e. being able to use the PA in the Lounge.  The only thing supplied was an easel with blank paper.  None of the cruise staff could be found to try to get him some help.  The doctor did the best that he could.  That episode, along with several others involving the CD, did not raise my opinion of this man.    

[RhondaLea]

On 10/30/2020 at 9:53 AM, pcrum said:

We flew home from Barcelona to Orlando, FL.  We went through London Gatwick via Norwegian Airlines and it was very reasonable.  There are many low cost flights from Barcelona to London.  We went to London a few days early and spent some time there and then flew home on Norwegian Airlines via London Gatwick.  Note: Norwegian Airlines is not associated with NCL (Norwegian) cruise line.

Thank you pcrum.  Our cruise has been cancelled and we are no longer looking for air.  

 

Stay safe and healthy!

[jangor]

I am very glad to have found this thread.  DH and I will be taking our first TA in March, 2022 from Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona on Princess.  Like many others, I have wondered about weather/rough seas and what to do for seven sea days.  Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences and insights!

[Mary229]

So happy to find this thread.  I have only done HAL’s VOV which I don’t really consider a typical transatlantic since it stops frequently on the way.  We are scheduled for Spring 2022 with HAL.  Is it true these cruises are usually not fully occupied.   The VOV was filled to capacity but was also a smaller ship.  

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, Mary229 said:

So happy to find this thread.  I have only done HAL’s VOV which I don’t really consider a typical transatlantic since it stops frequently on the way.  We are scheduled for Spring 2022 with HAL.  Is it true these cruises are usually not fully occupied.   The VOV was filled to capacity but was also a smaller ship.  

 

You may want to ask this question on the Cunard message board since only Queen Mary 2 has sailed regular trans-Atlantic crossings in recent years.  I agree:  my VOV on the Rotterdam was sold out.  The re-positioning cruise on the Eurodam from Europe to New York, though, was not sold out.  

[Mary229]

Just now, rkacruiser said:

 

You may want to ask this question on the Cunard message board since only Queen Mary 2 has sailed regular trans-Atlantic crossings in recent years.  I agree:  my VOV on the Rotterdam was sold out.  The re-positioning cruise on the Eurodam from Europe to New York, though, was not sold out.  

I guess I wasn’t clear.  This time we are sailing FLL to Rome.  We are on one of the larger HAL ships and not one of our favorites.  Why, you might ask, we are going to meet family for a land trip and cruising sounded better than flying.   We are hoping the ship is not full making for a less congested experience. 

[rkacruiser]

1 minute ago, Mary229 said:

I guess I wasn’t clear.  This time we are sailing FLL to Rome.  We are on one of the larger HAL ships and not one of our favorites.  Why, you might ask, we are going to meet family for a land trip and cruising sounded better than flying.   We are hoping the ship is not full making for a less congested experience. 

 

Your crossing sounds more like a re-positioning cruise than a true crossing of the Pond.  My thinking is:  the ship will not be sold out.  But, with the reports of heavy bookings for 2022 and 2023, who knows?  

[Mary229]

Just now, rkacruiser said:

 

Your crossing sounds more like a re-positioning cruise than a true crossing of the Pond.  My thinking is:  the ship will not be sold out.  But, with the reports of heavy bookings for 2022 and 2023, who knows?  

I guess it is, for me it serves as a crossing and gets me to my meet up spot within 48 hours of the family’s arrival. 

[rkacruiser]

1 minute ago, Mary229 said:

for me it serves as a crossing 

 

Semantics is rearing its "head" in our posts.  To me, a "crossing" is what QM2 does.  A "cruise" is what I have experienced on the Eurodam, etc., where there are ports visited between the port of embarkation and disembarkation.  

 

Regardless of what one calls it for you or for me, such a trip accomplishes its purpose.  Being able to join with your family, that will make your trip across the Pond even better!

[dave_k58]

We have never taken a TA - but are booked for one from Southampton to Ft. Lauderdale in November on Princess SKy.  I haven't taken a Tuxedo on a cruise in several years, because nobody seemed to be wearing them anymore. Is it different on TA's?  I figure there will be quite a few Europeans on the cruise. TIA

[rkacruiser]

13 hours ago, dave_k58 said:

We have never taken a TA - but are booked for one from Southampton to Ft. Lauderdale in November on Princess SKy.  I haven't taken a Tuxedo on a cruise in several years, because nobody seemed to be wearing them anymore. Is it different on TA's?  I figure there will be quite a few Europeans on the cruise. TIA

 

The itinerary will make little to no difference as to the dress code.  If you have a tux and wish to wear it on gala/formal nights, do so.  There will likely be others so attired.  I have a tux and will wear it on such nights.  When I choose to do so.  On Princess, you will find a variety of dress on gala/formal nights.  Most guests will be dressed appropriately, I expect.  Smart Casual with many gentlemen wearing jackets with or without ties is what I think you can expect.  

[Lois R]

This has been a very interesting thread😃......going back to before the virus----sorry for all of you who were not able to take the TA's you had booked. (well, for all of us who had any cruises booked).

 

After 20 years of cruising I have my first TA booked for March 2022😃.......Ft. Lauderdale to Lisbon. I was supposed to have taken my fist one in April 2020 but we all know what happened to that one☹️

Really looking forward to it, that is for sure!!!!!

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, Lois R said:

This has been a very interesting thread😃......going back to before the virus----sorry for all of you who were not able to take the TA's you had booked. (well, for all of us who had any cruises booked).

 

After 20 years of cruising I have my first TA booked for March 2022😃.......Ft. Lauderdale to Lisbon. I was supposed to have taken my fist one in April 2020 but we all know what happened to that one☹️

Really looking forward to it, that is for sure!!!!!

 

Enjoy some relaxing sea days.

[The sea calls my name]

On 5/3/2021 at 11:50 AM, Lois R said:

This has been a very interesting thread😃......going back to before the virus----sorry for all of you who were not able to take the TA's you had booked. (well, for all of us who had any cruises booked).

 

After 20 years of cruising I have my first TA booked for March 2022😃.......Ft. Lauderdale to Lisbon. I was supposed to have taken my fist one in April 2020 but we all know what happened to that one☹️

Really looking forward to it, that is for sure!!!!!

We are in the exact same boat as you, ( pun intended).  My DH and I both retired in 2020 and have been avid cruisers for 30 years. Our April 2021 TA on Harmony of the Seas was to have been our retirement gift to one another. We did the L/S to Allure of the Seas EB April 2022.  Like everyone on this amazing thread, we had multiple cruises planned for 2020 & 2021 and now have them moved to later this year ( fingers crossed) and the April TA.  I also want to thank each of you who have been so generous with your past experiences and information . Hopefully we will all be upon the seas soon.

[amevola]

I am happy to have looked for this thread, too.  I have learned so much!

 

Our October 2021 TA was cancelled so we just booked Celebrity Beyond's 2022 TA.  We have never sailed a TA before nor have we sailed on a brand new ship so it is double the fun for us.

 

Can anyone who has sailed Celebrity TAs offer an idea of sea day activities to us?  We have sailed Celebrity almost exclusively in the Caribbean and Mediterranean and are familiar with trivia, but that's about it since those sailings are port intensive.

 

Thanks so much!

 

 

[Lois R]

6 minutes ago, amevola said:

I am happy to have looked for this thread, too.  I have learned so much!

 

Our October 2021 TA was cancelled so we just booked Celebrity Beyond's 2022 TA.  We have never sailed a TA before nor have we sailed on a brand new ship so it is double the fun for us.

 

Can anyone who has sailed Celebrity TAs offer an idea of sea day activities to us?  We have sailed Celebrity almost exclusively in the Caribbean and Mediterranean and are familiar with trivia, but that's about it since those sailings are port intensive.

 

Thanks so much!

 

 

Good morning, 🙂you might post this question on the Celebrity forum too. I bet you will find lots of folks over there who have done multiple TA crossings.

[AlanRRT]

I'm looking forward to my transatlantic cruise on the Norwegian Prima, September 2022, which I booked after my Hawaii cruise this October was cancelled.  My last cruise was western Mediterranean, only one sea day and lots of long, tiring port days.  Not complaining, that's just the nature of the beast, and this will be the anti-Mediterranean.  Lots of relaxing sea days.  My only questions, which I know nobody can answer now, are about the ship.  It will be new, it's not even built yet, so no idea about what entertainment and activities are on board.  Anyway, thanks to everyone that's posted on this site, I have an idea what I'm in for.

[TeaBag]

On 5/29/2021 at 5:46 AM, amevola said:

I am happy to have looked for this thread, too.  I have learned so much!

 

Our October 2021 TA was cancelled so we just booked Celebrity Beyond's 2022 TA.  We have never sailed a TA before nor have we sailed on a brand new ship so it is double the fun for us.

 

Can anyone who has sailed Celebrity TAs offer an idea of sea day activities to us?  We have sailed Celebrity almost exclusively in the Caribbean and Mediterranean and are familiar with trivia, but that's about it since those sailings are port intensive.

 

Thanks so much!

 

 

We have sailed 6 TA's on Celebrity over the years.  We really do love those sea days where you don't have to get up early for an excursion.  Believe it or not, we were 17 days without a port on the Eclipse last March when everything fell apart and none of the ports in South America would allow us in and we were not bored, worried, yes but nor bored.

On sea days,  Celebrity has several Trivia games, cooking demos, lectures, art and dancing classes, matinees on some days.  I often have to make a decision between two activities that are at the same time.  There is also nothing like reading a book on your balcony, breathing the lovely sea air.  I am sure you will not be bored.

Edited June 1, 2021 by TeaBag

[Jazzbo]

On 5/3/2021 at 11:50 AM, Lois R said:

This has been a very interesting thread😃......going back to before the virus----sorry for all of you who were not able to take the TA's you had booked. (well, for all of us who had any cruises booked).

 

After 20 years of cruising I have my first TA booked for March 2022😃.......Ft. Lauderdale to Lisbon. I was supposed to have taken my fist one in April 2020 but we all know what happened to that one☹️

Really looking forward to it, that is for sure!!!!!

Lois, I have read many of your posts on the Celebrity thread. I think you will love the TA! We are doing our second TA October 22, 2021 from Rome to FLL on the Reflection. Our first was November 2014 on the Eclipse from Southampton to Miami. We met so many wonderful people!  There are so many things to do on sea days that we missed some that we wanted to do (and some days we did nothing). Have a fantastic cruise!

[Lois R]

22 minutes ago, Jazzbo said:

Lois, I have read many of your posts on the Celebrity thread. I think you will love the TA! We are doing our second TA October 22, 2021 from Rome to FLL on the Reflection. Our first was November 2014 on the Eclipse from Southampton to Miami. We met so many wonderful people!  There are so many things to do on sea days that we missed some that we wanted to do (and some days we did nothing). Have a fantastic cruise!

Hi🙂, yes, I was a regular over on the X forum for many years........I have not sailed with them for quite a while now.......my last cruise on Celebrity was back in 2017. I have been reading a bit about what is going on with the recent sailings though........some mis steps along the way.....that would be expected.

 

Hope you have a great cruise too.👍

[Denny01]

Lois!

 

Miss you over at Celebrity, but fully understand you are focused on Silverseas and other forums. We had a Silverseas set for March 2020 and it was canceled along with so many others, including our Celebrity Apex TA in Oct 2020. Oh well. 

 

We have done a number of TA’s and Loved them. Obviously, you need to pick a Line/Ship you will be very happy with since it is so at-sea focused. Don’t know how active the Silverseas roll calls are, our one on a small ship is pretty dead. the Roll Calls are very handy for TA’s because we can set up so many fun things with very different people while at sea beyond the  normal setting up port tours. Card and board games and social events such as Chocolate Tastings we’ve done on Halloween, wine tastings; crafting get togethers; book clubs, etc. These are really interesting because you end up with lot of people from very different backgrounds and places especially on TA’s.  Going west, we’d have a lot of UK fun people! 

 

So enjoy your cruise. Hope we somehow run into each other. Enjoy.

 

den

[jacquesmm]

Denny, I see that you are on the Edge cruise 7/10. We will be there too and I would love to talk about transats. Your messaging is disabled but message me or let's meet on the Edge. We are in 7194.

[Pete Cruise]

This is a great thread.  We just booked our first TA on Carnival Celebration Nov 2022.  We like many here have been sailing on many cruises over many years.  We will be sailing out of Southampton and plan to spend 8 day touring Scotland and England first.